CALLING ALL HOLIDAY PLANNERS!  You can hear those sleigh bells ringing, right?  Like the most earnest of elves, you're likely doing your spirited best to balance tradition with the unexpected.  This holiday, invite a surprising guest to stir up your seasonal soiree - iced tea!

Try out these tasty treats:
 
Celebrate With Something Bubbly
 
Ring in the New Year with this sparkling fruity concoction. With just the right amounts of sweet and bubbly, this drink is the perfect toast to 2012.

HOLIDAY GREEN TEA BELLINI

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

• 1 bottle 100% Natural Lipton® Iced Tea Green Tea with Citrus, chilled
• 1 cup sparkling apple cider, chilled
• 1/2 cup peach nectar, chilled

Combine all ingredients in small pitcher; serve immediately. Garnish, if desired, with fresh raspberries.

Tip: For a more authentic bellini drink, use sweet sparkling white wine instead of sparkling apple cider.

Have a Berry Merry Cosmo

Blend the naughtiness of tart with the niceness of sweet for the ultimate pink drink - Cosmopolitans. With pomegranate, blueberry and cranberry juice, it's a sassy, classic way to cheer the holiday season.

 
FESTIVI-TEA COSMOPOLITAN

Makes 3 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes

• 1 bottle 100% Natural Lipton® Iced Tea with Pomegranate Blueberry
• 3 tablespoons 100% cranberry juice
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake well and pour into chilled martini glasses.

Tip: For an adult version, use 2 tablespoons vodka and 2 tablespoons orange liqueur instead of orange juice.

Sweet and Creamy

With its medley of mint, cream and fruit flavors, this dessert drink is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next holiday get-together.

DAZZLING CREAMY DESSERT DRINK

Makes 5 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Stand time: 10 minutes

• 2 sprigs mint, large
• 1 bottle 100% Natural Lipton® Iced Tea with Pomegranate Blueberry
• 1-1/2 cups light cream or half and half*
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

Crush mint with wooden spoon against side of medium pitcher to bruise.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Let stand 10 minutes; remove mint sprigs.  Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish, if desired, with additional mint leaves.

Tip: For a delicious cocktail, stir in 1/2 cup vodka.

*Use fat-free half and half to make this dessert drink lower in saturated fat and calories.

For more wintertime recipes, visit Lipton Iced Tea's Facebook page.